A single warp knitting machine installed personally by founder Karl Mayer in Bursa, Türkiye in 1951 marked the beginning of a 75-year partnership between the German equipment maker and this transcontinental textile powerhouse. Today, Türkiye stands as one of KARL MAYER's most critical single markets, with its strategic importance growing as global textile supply chains undergo realignment.
From Single Machine to Regional Hub
Türkiye's textile machinery upgrade cycle is accelerating. Public industry data shows that between 2023 and 2025, the country imported over USD 1.8 billion worth of textile machinery, with warp knitting equipment accounting for approximately 22%. KARL MAYER has maintained a market share above 35% in this segment. Its technology center in Istanbul serves sample development and training functions for clients across Central & Eastern Europe, North Africa, and Central Asia.
Bursa, the birthplace of Türkiye's textile industry, remains the core production area for warp-knitted and circular-knitted fabrics. Local enterprises have expanded from home textiles into automotive interiors, sportswear, and technical textiles. The equipment supplier's role has evolved accordingly—from mere machine vendor to co-developer of process solutions.
Industrial Logic of Warp Knitting Adoption
Structural characteristics of Türkiye's textile sector drive its preference for warp knitting machinery:
- Home textile exports account for 28% of total textile exports; jacquard and raschel machines are essential for curtain and bedding production
- Sportswear manufacturing clusters (e.g., Denizli, Istanbul) demand high-speed warp knitting machines for elastic fabrics
- Automotive textiles (seats, headliners) as an emerging growth segment require precision multi-axial warp knitting machines
KARL MAYER's HKS series, launched in 2024, secured initial orders of over 40 units in Türkiye, primarily from Denizli-based sportswear fabric mills. This indicates a shift from generic machine sales to customized delivery for specific application scenarios.
Dual Drivers: Geography and Supply Chains
Türkiye's geographic location is translating into tangible equipment demand. Stricter EU rules of origin for textiles have led more European brands to relocate orders from Asia back to Türkiye. In 2025, Türkiye's textile exports to the EU grew 11.3% year-on-year to EUR 8.7 billion, directly fueling local capacity expansion investments.
The supplier-customer relationship has entered a new phase. KARL MAYER's digital service center in Istanbul provides remote maintenance and process optimization services. This 'hardware + software + service' bundling model is reshaping competition in textile machinery—customers now evaluate total lifecycle costs and production flexibility rather than just machine price.